Agitator for washing machines



2 Sheets-Sheet l SWW/nto@ July 11, 1933. P, E. 'BARKER AGITATOR FOR WASHING MACHINES Original Filed Oct. 8, 1930 July 11, 1933. P, E BARKER- ,1,917,867

AITATOR FOR WASHING MACHINES Original Filed 00'0. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 11, 1933 STATES time? PATENT PERCY E. BARRIER, OF TOWSON, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE CINDERELLA WASHIBIG MACHINE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO AGITATOR FOR WASHING MACHINES Original application filed October 8, 1930, Serial No. 487,189. vDivided and this application. filed September This invention relates to washing machlnes and more particularly to an agltator arranged to be disposed within the machinev in a manner to impel the water outwardly therefrom. lThe present invention is a division of my application for Letters Patent on a Cleaning method and apparatus, Serial No. 487,189 filed October 8th, 1930.

The general object of -this invention is to provide an improved and efficient driving and supporting mechanism for a washing machine agitator or dolly. Another object is to provide a removable agitator for a washing machine and which agitator is provided with blades which may be readily removed for replacement.

Another object is the provision of a flexible agitator blade suitably reinforced to permit its -being removably attached to the dolly driving mechanism.

Further objects of the invention will be set forth in the following description relating to a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The essential and novel characteristics will be summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a substantially central cross-sectional view through a portion of a washing machine, illustrating my improved agitator and driving mechanism therefor; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through my improved agitator, as indicated by the lines 2 2 on Fig. 1; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views illustrating certain parts of my improved agitator in detail.

Referring again to the drawings, wherein I illustrate a preferred form of my invention in connection with a washing machine of the usual type, 10 indicates a base for supporting the various mechanisms. This base supports, on its top side, a suitable casing 11, forming a washing chamber 12. As shown in Fig. 1, a dolly or agitator 14 is mounted within the washing chamber 12 on a suitable post or supporting member 15.

The supporting arrangement for the agitator or dolly 14 and its driving shaft 16 is of the underdrive type and stand pipe support. Seated on the top side of the base plate l() is a stand pipe in the form of a flanged tubular sheet metal member 20, the flanges 21 thereof lying between the bottom of the casing 11 and the base plate 10. The tubular member 20 has its smallest portions 22 embracing the bottom end of the substantially cylindrical securing the entire assembly together.

Serial No. 560,578.

hollow post or supporting member 15, heretofore referred to. The post 15 and member 2U may be secured together in any suitable way, as by welding or soldering. A

The driving shaft 16, which transmits power to the dolly, extends upwardly from the base 10 freely through the tubular post 15, but may, of course, have any suitable bearing arrangement within it. As shown, there is an anti-friction bearing 23 secured within one end of the post and in which the shaft 16 has a running fit. The shaft is vertically supported and guided at its lower end by a bushing or bearing 25 seated in a casting 26, which ispflanged as at 27 to underlie the base plate 10. rl`he casting 26 is readily secured to the base plate 10 and casing 11 by suitable screws or bolts 28 and 29, which also pass through the flange of the tubular member 20, The shaft 16 preferably has a reduced portion 30 arranged to provide a shoulder adapted to bear against the top of the bushing 25.

The shaft 16 is driven from a suitable motor or other source of power, either as shown in my copending application, or by any suit able power transmission device now in use on washing machines, of thev type to which this invention relates. As shown in the accompanying drawings, a crank arm 31 is keyed to the reduced portion of the shaft 16, below the .bushing 25,as at32, and is secured in place thereon by a suitable stud 34. rlhe crank arm 31 is pivotally secured as at 35 to a suitable connectmg rod or operating 'arm 36, which may be oscillated by any suitable means, (not shown) so as to impart an oscillating movement to the shaft, 16.

The .preferred construction of the dolly is, in detail, as follows: The central supporting body of the dolly comprises a metal tube 40, which lies in a generally spaced embracing relation to the upstanding tube 15, except that at its lower end, the tube 40 bears on and is guidingly supported by the exterior cylindrical surface of the reduced portion 22 of the hollow bracket member 20, previously de` scribed. Lateral support for the 'upper end of the tube 40 is provided by a bushing 41, which may, for example, be soldered or welded to the upper end ofthe tube, so as `to be rigid therewith. This bushing 41 preferably has a splined connection 43, with the shaft 16, so that the dolly may Ireadily be removed from the splined shaft when desired. The

tube therefore is easily removed from the fixed tube 15 and by the same arrangement the dolly may be readily disconnected from its driving shaft when desired. Moreover, the bushing 41 in effect seals the upper end of the tube 15, preventing the entrance of water to the interior of the tube at all times.

The dolly or agitator blades are preferably formcd of molded rubber or some similar substance, indicated at 50. It is not entirely essential that this substance be resilient and yielding, although this is preferred. I may use a material such asBakeliteinstead. The blades 50 are individually secured to the tube 40 in fixed position, but are detachable therefrom, for repairs and replacement.

As shown in the drawings, each blade has a segmental hub 51 provided with an arcuate shaped face 52, arranged to fit the tube 40. Each blade 50 is also provided with an outstanding flexible arm or vane 53. rThe vane 58 is preferably provided, at its opposite sides, with a series of vertically extending corrugations54, to produce a rubbing action on the material to be cleaned. Within the hub of each blade, extending from the top to the bottom thereof, and preferably molded in place, are metallic strips 55.

The strips 55 reenforce the blades and extend into reduced end portions of the blades at the top and bottom, as at 56, to form elements for rigidly associating the blades with the tube 40. The reenforcing members also have openings 57 to receive the rubber or other material, to more firmly retain the strip embedded therein.

5S arranged to enter longitudinally spaced aligned openings or slots 59 in the tube, which are arranged to lit the keys. This arrangement keys the blades to the tube 40, which, being splined to the driving shaft 16, serves to drive the blades.

The blades 50 are retained in position on the tube 40 by socket members 60 and 61, which are arranged to grip the upper and lower ends respectively, of the hub portion of the blades. The lower socket member 61 preferably comprises an annular band provided with a diverging upstanding flange 62, arranged to receive tapered extensions 63 of the hub portion 51 of each blade. rlhis socket member is secured to the tube 40 in any suitable manner, as by welding or soldering. The upper socket member is in the form of a cap 64, threaded as at 65 to the bushing member 41. This cap 64 is provided with an annular downwardly extending diverging flange 66 arranged to embrace tapered extensions 67 on the upper ends of the blade hubs 51.

rlhe reenforcing members 55 form in effect rigid elements for^ associating their respective blades with the tube 40. As heretofore described, the members 55 extend to the ex- Adjacent the tube 40, each strip 56 has key formations or lugs treme ends of the blade hubs. At either end, the reinforcing members are tapered, com- .plementary to the socket members 60 and tapered portion of the hub and reinforcing member will be wedged by their respective sockets, forcing the blade snugly against the tube 40.

As a further means for securely holding the blades 50 in place on the tube 40, I provide attaching strips 70, the form of which is best shown in Fig. 5. This figure shows a longitudinally folded sheet metal body, having oppositely directed flanges 71 and 72, and end extensions 73 lying beyond the ends of the flanges at both ends of the strips. The doubled edge of each strip 70 rests on the tube between the adjacent hub portions of each two adjacent blades. The flanges 71 and 72 overlying the margins of each hub portion 5 1 as is apparent from Fig. 2, and the extending portions 73 are tapered to coact with the socket members 60 and 61, and thereby retain the blades more securely in place.

The blades 50 are reinforced or stiff'ened adjacent their supporting surface, and are preferably flexible.` It will also be noted that the blades decrease in thickness as they depart from the supporting tube. This causes the flexibility of the blade to increase as the thickness decreases, thereby insuring the exing of the blade throughout its entire width. The ribbed structure also adds to the flexibility of the blade by permitting the outer surfaces to increase and decrease transversely of the ribsand yet permit a certain amount of longitudinal stiffness.

The active portions of the blade, being as previously mentioned, vertically corrugated, acts on the materials to forcibly rub the ma terial being cleaned, while the rapid oscilla tion which is imparted to the blades causes the material to be thrown to and fro with considerable force. A very desirable wash ing action is afforded by reason of the resilient character of the blades when made of soft rubber, for example, this being a slapping action which has been found to wash materials very thoroughly, assisted, of

course, by the rubbing action of the coriugation.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that I have provided an agitator for a washing machine, comprising a series of reenforced, independently removable, flexible blade ymembers which are drivingly secured to an impeller shaft in a manner whereby they may be removed without disturbing the driving connections of the shaft and so arranged that the blades may be supported from the bottom of the washing chamber and independent of the impeller shaft which is lll-0 Leinen? metallic strips arranged about and parallelto said body and having formations engaging the latter to prevent relative rotation between the body and the strip, liexible agitator blades surrounding and imbedding said metallic strips, and means on said body arranged to embrace the ends of the metallic strips to retain the blades in place on the sup-` porting member.

2. An agitator for a washing machine, comprising a central shaft having a series of openings therein, molded composition blade members radially disposed adjacent said openings and means including metallic reenforcing strips embedded in said blade members and having formations arranged to enter said openings to retain the blades against rotational displacement, and means to retain the blade against radial displacement.

3. An agitator for a washing machine, comprising a central tubular shaft having la series of openings therein, a bushing insert for one end of the shaftY adapted to provide partv of a driving means for the shaft, molded composition blade members arranged adjacent said openings, a metallic reenforcing memberthreaded in said blade member and having key formations arranged to enter said openings to retain the blades against rotational displacement, and means including a removable cap for said insert having flanges embracing portions of the metallic reenforcing members to secure the blades to the shaft.

4. A construction for a washing machine, comprising a plurality of substantially radially arranged blades, a centrally supporting and driving body for the blades, the blades comprising molded composition of the character described and metallic reenforcing members embedded therein, there being a flanged collar on the central body for em-- bracing the lower ends of the reenforcing members and a removable flanged device at the upper ends of the blades for similarly embracing the "reenforcing members to retain the blades in place.

' 5. A washing machine agitator comprising a series of independently removable radially extending" blades, a central supporting body for said blades, each blade comprising a longitudinally extending segmental hub arranged to embrace a portion of said supporting member, lprojections carried by said blades and arranged to extend inwardly from the hub and fit into sockets in the supporting member, a vane extending outwardly and radially from said hub, wherein said hub is provided with end portions extending beyond the vane, and a pair of annular conical seats one of which is removablyl mounted on the supporting body and arranged to coact with the extended ends of the hub to prevent vertical and radial displacement of the blade..

6. A washing machine agitator comprising aseries of independently removable radially extending blades, a central supporting body for said blades, eachv blade comprising a segmental hub arranged to embrace a portion of said supporting member, a vane extending outwardly and radially from said hub, wherein said hub is provided with end portions extending beyond the vane, a pair of annular conical seats one of which is removably mounted on the supporting member and arranged to coact with the extended ends of the hub to prevent vertical andv radial displacement of the blade, and a series of retaining strips arranged to be epgaged at the opposite ends by the seat members and provided with Hanges to overlie the edges of the hubs of adjacent blades.

7. A washing machine agitator comprising a series of independently removable radially extending blades, a central supporting body for said blades, each blade comprising a segmental hub arranged to embrace said supporting member, projections arranged to extend inwardly from the hub and fit into sockets in the supporting member, a vane extending outwardly and radially from said hub, wherein said hub is provided with tapered end portions extending beyond the vane, a pair of annular conical sockets mounted on the supporting member and arranged to coact with the tapered ends of the hubs, a reenforcing member embedded in the blade and having tapered ends arranged to seat in the sockets, and a series of retaining strips arranged to be engaged at the opposite ends .by the seat members and provided with flanges arranged to overlie the edges of the hubs of adjacent blades.

8. An agitator for a washing machine, including a series of independently removable radiall extending blades, a central supporting bo y forsuch blade, each blade including a vertically extending segmental hub artiti ranged to coact with the supporting body, a

series of retaining strips, each strip belng arranged to overlie the edges of the hubs of adjacent blades, and seat members carried by the supporting body and cooperating with opposite ends of said strip to prevent radial and Vertical displacement of said blade.

In testimony whereof, ll hereunto affix my i signature.

rnncr n. Banaan.v 

